“Okay, I'll go. Do what you were planning or not, it's up to you.”
The door was closed and the carriage driver's voice, "Yah," soon followed the carriage's movement again.
“…This is a complete defeat.”
He thought that he would always remain vigilant and would not let his guard down. But did he sympathize, even for a moment, with Camille's miserable appearance?
This brief neglect revealed a fatal weakness.
Whether Camille's words were sincere or not, one thing was certain: she was no longer the woman she once was, and she was someone who could not be underestimated.
His mouth tasted bitter.
He felt like giving up everything and going home to see his wife, Ines. But this was not an option.
Jack sighed and reluctantly started walking back.
***
I leaned back on the carriage seat, thinking about what had just happened.
“I wonder if it worked.”
Unlike the more emotional Victor, Jack was logical and cold, perhaps more so than Ethan. Therefore, I thought approaching it with rational persuasion rather than emotional appeal was the right strategy.
However, convincing Jack with logic alone was an arduous task from the beginning.
In the end, it was similar to what happened with Ethan.
I had to explain as clearly as possible, but for the rest, I had to focus on his weaknesses to avoid responding.
Everyone knew how Ethan always neglected Camille, after all.
I played the “poor neglected wife,” thinking that a man like Jack, especially as a subordinate, would find it difficult to press such an emotional appeal so strongly.
Indeed, it worked as expected.
But unlike what happened with Victor, it wasn't enough.
I had to give Jack enough plausible explanations to satisfy him.
This led to a narrative: "In the beginning, I was already immature, and it was only later that I decided to change. Meeting Liam was the decisive turning point."
Of course, upon closer inspection, my response was full of holes. So, I played the miserable woman to keep Jack from thinking too much about it.
However, I can't say for sure that it was purely an act.
The more I talked, the more I found myself sympathizing with Camille's situation, and feeling real anger at the treatment of Ethan and Jack.
The fact that Jack did not deny my claims of neglect or attempt to pursue me only served to increase my frustration.
From the moment Jack entered the carriage, it was clear that he was underestimating me, anticipating my reaction. It never occurred to him for a moment that he might lose in a verbal battle.
From Jack's point of view, it was a no-brainer.
But that didn't mean he could look down on me.
After all, I am still Duchess Dumont, the person he serves.
I was brought up under classist values, and rebellion is something I cannot stand.
My asking him to get off the cart midway was unplanned. On a spur of the moment, I left him, but that might have been more effective as shock therapy.
Of course, I cannot be very optimistic that this will stop the surveillance.
I'll have to keep a close eye on things for a while.
I looked out the window, and came to my conclusion.
***
The Chevelot area was located on the outskirts of the capital.
As I exited the carriage, about a dozen servants immediately bowed to me to welcome me.
"Hello miss! Are you feeling better now?"
“Miss? How can you address the Duchess like that!”
“Okay, I'm sorry, ma'am.”
"Did you come alone? Where is your maid?"
The servants' many questions left me momentarily overwhelmed.
“Ah, well, I wanted to come alone today.”
“Why? Are these people still abusing you, miss? No, ma’am?” asked a large, red-haired maid, her eyes shining with anger.
“No, it's not that. I just wanted some quiet time to think,” I explained.
“Really? Are you sure there's nothing wrong?” another maid asked.
“It's okay. Don't worry,” she reassured them with an embarrassed smile.
“Stop teasing her. Everyone, back off,” the white-haired butler ordered, waving his hand dismissively. Then he bowed to me apologetically, “My apologies, Duchess. You must be tired from the journey. Please come in.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
I followed the butler to the palace.
Two things surprised me when I arrived at the Chevelot property.
First, the palace was much larger, and the number of servants was much greater than I expected. The original story stated that Camille's family was relatively poor compared to her social status. When Ethan demanded alimony during the divorce, it was enough to bankrupt the Chevelot family.
Well, they were his in-laws, so Ethan must have been supporting them.
But still...
Second, Camille seemed to be very popular with the servants in her family household. I already knew that her brother, Olivier, loved her and treated her like a precious jewel.
But I didn't expect the servants to like her so much.
At Dumont Palace, she was not a good lady at all.
I thought she grew up spoiled and unmanageable because her brother spoiled her excessively... but maybe she was just a little spoiled.
Given how beautiful she was, it made sense that those who had known her since childhood would find her whimsy endearing.
Now that I think about it, I find Camille's situation even sadder.
It grew up as a delicate flower in a greenhouse, then was abandoned in a cold desert.
No wonder she lost her way.
After following the servant's instructions, I entered a room where a man sitting in an armchair turned to greet me with a bright smile.
"Cam! You're here!"
How much? Ah, that must be Camille's nickname.
Judging by the color of his hair and eyes, which match Camille's hair and eye color, this must be Olivier.
"You said you were very ill. Do you feel better now? Come closer and let me see your face," Olivier said, extending his hand, his hand trembling.
He seemed weaker than I imagined, suffering from a heart condition.
His cheeks were sunken, and his arms were as thin as Camille's.
This made him look much older than his real age.
Although he had just turned forty, he looked so old that he might have been mistaken for a father rather than a brother.
Olivier's pale face flushed a little because he seemed genuinely happy to see his sister after such a long time.
I knew it wasn't okay, but I didn't expect it to be this bad...
Seeing him in this state hurt me, especially since I too had suffered from an illness in my past life. It made sense for him to break down when he heard about Camille's betrayal and expelled her.
يا لكاميل الحمقاء! Instead of impulsively seeking solace in someone else, she should have considered the impact of her actions on her brother.
I suppressed my complicated feelings, ran to Olivier and hugged him.
I said with a bright smile: “Brother! How are you? I missed you so much.”
He must have been very worried about me.
Showing a cheerful side of my personality will put his mind at ease.
“Oh my God. Haha, little one. Even if you are the Duchess of Dumont, you shouldn’t act rashly,” Olivier said, though his expression was full of joy.
I frowned jokingly, “What does it matter? I’m your little sister.”
“Yes, you're right,” he said, laughing, putting his hand on my cheek, “let's see. You've lost weight. You must have been very sick. I'm sorry. I couldn't visit because of my health.”
It was ridiculous to hear him apologize with his pale face. During my confinement, Olivier sent me countless letters.
If I had known he was in this situation, I would have responded more carefully.
I had always known that Olivier was loyal to his sister, but only now, when I saw him in person, did I truly realize it.
"No, it wasn't too bad. I just avoided going out for fear of infecting anyone. Sorry for visiting late. I was worried you might get infected," I explained.
"Don't say that. Health is what's most important. I'm glad that you're fully recovered now," Olivier said with a deep laugh.
“Are you hungry? I’ll make you a meal right away. Noah, please.”
“Yes, sir,” said the servant, bowing.
His name was Noah, so I quickly memorized it.
“دعينا نلتقي على العشاء”
“نعم، هذا يبدو جيدًا”
Olivier stood, leaning on his cane.
She grabbed his arm and helped him steady.
***
The main course for lunch today was roasted suckling pig.
Apparently it was Camille's favorite dish, and Olivier had the chef specially prepare it.